Got to be Thierry Henry for me.
Ronaldinho is easier on the eye and more skillful, but Henry more effective. He scores more goals, creates more goals and is a more complete player.

Agree?

[ March 30, 2006, 17:20: Message edited by: Taluntain ]

I agree with Henry. Other players may be better in their out-and-out position (ie - Van Nistelrooy is probably a better goalscorer), but Henry is a very complete player with excellent teamwork. Furthermore he can singlehandedly win games for Arsenal. He is the player Arsenal look up to for inspiration when the chips are down. When he is not playing the entire team performance drops.

So +1 for Henry.
:)

I'm not going to argue against this - it's a given :)

Isn't this like asking who is the best accordion player in the world? (i.e., yes, I'm sure there is a best, but who in their right mind would stick around to listen to the accordion -- or watch soccer?)


/me dons flame suit considering the relative popularity of soccer.

Pele.

Preferably someone still playing the game, Harbs.

Well If you ask for the best ever, I have to agree with Harb, Edson Arantes do Nascimento Pelé was the best soccer player.

As for current, there is many good players, is very difficult to pin point one as "the best", like Ronaldo C., Ronaldo Z., Zidane R., Van Nistelrooy C., Seedorf R., Scholes, M. Owen, Ronaldinho ... there is just to many good players.

Depends on the position he plays...

Maurolova, you list C. Ronaldo in the same breath as Zidane, RVN, Ronaldinho... wash your mouth out!

Fair point Fabius, list (in your opinion) the best player in each position.

My team of 'best' players in each position, would go something like this (let's assume a 4-4-2 formation)...

GK - Buffon (ITA)

LB - Zambrotta (ITA)
CB - Terry (ENG)
CB - Nesta (ITA
RB - Cafu (BRA)

LW - Ronaldinho (BRA)
CM - Ballack (GER)
CM - Lampard (ENG)
RW - Joaquin (SPA)

FW - Shevchenko (UKR) or, Rooney (ENG)
FW - Henry (FRA)

Ronaldinho, he can do stuff with a ball I have never seen before. Combine that with the attitude of a five year old first experiencing the wonders of a ball and we have a wonder. Henry is good, more than good he is awesome but he aint no Ronaldinho.

'Dinho can do incredible things with a football, but he's not as effective a footballer as Henry.

Best ever: Roberto Baggio
Best now: Ronaldinho

Jerry Rice for USA football and Weird Al Yankovic for best accordian player :p :beer:

Three English players in Barmy Army's best team. England must be shoe-ins to win the World Cup now then, with such superstars at their disposal.

Imo Brazil are going to take it again, but I'm hoping to be surprised, I always root for the underdog no matter who it is ;)

I'll go on the Ronaldinho side for this one. He gets the ball and the defense starts panicking.

Harbs, I doubt a guy here will question those decisions. I have three Italians as well, I guess you didn't notice. And we're better than the Italians. On paper.

We have the 2nd best squad of players this time around (second to Brazil), but our problem is team work. A lot of our players don't work for each other and a all 'superstars' and try to win games on their own. If we can get around that, we'd be with a massive chance.

I'll put my savings on England right now then, while the odds are still so good!

We're second favourites with the bookies, so the odds aren't that great :p .

All the clever money is on Brazil, although I think I might drop a cheeky fiver on Italy. Whilst England, Argentina, Holland probably have better teams on paper, the Italians seem to be playing extremely well right now (beating Germany 4-1 recently). Plus, with Luca Toni, this time around they have a goalscorer in his peak who is not just there on name. Most of my flutters will be on Brazil though :p . Their team is incredible.

In the odds I've seen, England are 4th favourites at about about 9-1. I guess odds are dependent on who is betting money where, and in England plenty of money is going on back to back World Cup wins for England (the soccer World Cup only happens every 40 years right?). If England are such a red hot prospect then 9-1 looks good to me.

Harbs, I doubt a guy here will question those decisions I do :p , especially one, Ballack. He is perhaps the best player of the worst german team ever, but he wouldn't not even be on the bench of the german teams of the previous years (before 1996). There are dozens midfielders better than him, Deco, Nedved, Kaka, the brazilian who plays in Lyon, and many others.

Harbs, its every 4 years...

BOC - I meant the English guy choices :) . I'm sure most people recognise John Terry as the worlds best centre back, and Lampard as one of the worlds best central midfielders (it was a toss up between him and Gerrard). Rooney, I didn't think deserved a definite start, which is why I put him alongside Shevvy, but he is definitely proving himself as world class time and time again. He's been the lynch-pin of the Man Utd side and the England side for the last year or more.

And Harbs, I never said we were a red hot prospect. I said we have a great team, on paper. But there is a massive difference in having a team of world class players and having a team capable of winning the world cup. IF we can bring our players together, working for each other as a team and with a great hunger to win, there's not many teams who can beat us. But that goes for 5 or 6 team in this world cup. If we play well, we have a great chance. But that is a big if.

Barmy, personally i think Paul Hartley should be in there. Especially after his performance in recent Scotland games, and he still has plenty of years ahead of him to become even better.

Not to mention Kenny Miller! :D

:lol: Very good one Sorvo...

I'd go with Ronaldinho, last winner of the best player; he has his 'house' close to ours, he has his own beach, where he practises every day almost all day; and it seems that the ball is attached to his foot... Watched the advertise he did? Part 1 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=8Qzej6p32fg) Another one. (http://youtube.com/watch?v=XGCivgVnvxo) Better yet, watch them all. (http://www.notasdefutbol.com/archivos/2006/03/10-joga-bonito-que-el-balon-sea.php) especialy number 6.
Here's (http://nikefootball.nike.com/nikefootball/siteshell/index.jsp#,en,0;jogatv,,0,0,0) the official Nike site. All parts there but carefull if you have slow connection.

We have the 2nd best squad of players this time around (second to Brazil)No you don't. Both Italy and Argentina have better teams, and I don't know if the Dutch, Spaniolas, and Czechs are very close to you too.

Just because your players get the most press in England, doesn't mean they are the best. If that was so, I would say that Sweden has the best team in the World.

The Italians and the Argies? Nah.

You're teling me Abbondanzieri is better than Robinson? Or that the likes of Miliso, Burdisso and Ponzio would get in the England team? Not happening. There's only one or two Argentinian players I'd have (Crespo, Messi *maybe* Riquelme).

The Italians are better than the Argies, but they still don't have as much as us going forward. They don't have one player who can hold a torch to Rooney. Although they do have a mean side defensively.

Bear in mind we're talking ON PAPER. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see the Italians and the Argentinians get further than us in the competition, but that doesn't mean they#ve got a better team than we have.

Ladanian Tomlinson or Tom Brady.

Someone's already cracked that joke and it wasn't funny then ;) .

The Italians are better than the Argies, but they still don't have as much as us going forward. They don't have one player who can hold a torch to Rooney. Although they do have a mean side defensively.Have you seen Inzaghi lately, Filippo that is? He is scoring in practically every game he plays, often more than once. He was the reason Milan is still in Champion's League.

Have you seen Inzaghi lately, Filippo that is? He is scoring in practically every game he plays, often more than once. He was the reason Milan is still in Champion's League. He's not as good as Owen ;) .

Owen? Hmm, he's been SO awesome so far in this world cup.

Yes, because he's not fit...

Since this topic was already ressurected, I must say, both Toni and Inzaghi are world-class attackers, and the rest of them are pretty close too. Can't see why Lippi didn't take Di Vaio with him though.

Inzaghi should play ahead of Toni next game because that bloke has done nothing for me so far. Neither has that Iaquinta. I'd play Inzaghi and Gilardino next game.